Apparatus for controlling the discharge of liquid from a reservoir



March 10,- 1970 HALFF I E J'AL 7 3,499,585 APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING, THE DISCHARGE 0F LIQUID FROM A RESERVOIR Filed Jan. 22, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I r INVENTORS //ZZ/IAZV ,ZZ//

BY ALBERT bh-LPF flue y F. P510 Array/v67 -March 10, 1970 A H. HALFF EI'AL' LIQUID FROM A RESERVOIR Filed Jan. 22, 1968 APPARATUS POI! CONTROLLING THE DISCHARGE 0F 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 3,499,585 APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE DIS- CHARGE OF LIQUID FROM A RESERVOIR Albert H. Haltf, 3514 Rock Creek Drive 75204, and

Allen F. Reid, 3145 Spur Trail 75234, both of Dallas,

Tex.

Filed Jan. 22, 1968, Ser. No. 699,665 Int. Cl. B67d 3/00; E03d 1/12; F161 43/00 U.S. Cl. 222-416 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tank for holding liquid has means for supplying liquid to the tank and stopping the supply when the liquid reaches a given level. The discharge of the liquid from the tank is controlled by a tubular conduit having generally vertical loops with an inlet at the bottom of the loops and an outlet extending through the bottom of the tank. The flow of liquid through the loops is controlled by opening a normally closed valve venting to atmosphere to initiate the flow of liquid through the loops for discharge to the outlet.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The discharge of liquids from a reservoir is usually accomplished by pumping it or forcing the liquid contents under air pressure or having a valve discharge the liquid under gravity flow. The intermittent discharge under gravity flow through a mechanical valve has the shortcoming of the valve not providing an adequate seal. This invention is particularly directed to controlled discharges from a liquid-containing tank in which the closing of the valve is delayed until the liquid reaches a given level in the tank and then automatically closes. The only act required is the initiation of the discharge of the liquid. This type of discharge control is used in the household tanks for flushing toilets.

This type of apparatus has the disadvantage of utilizing mechanical means within the liquid to provide the delayed closing of the discharge valve. In the past devices have been developed which attempt to eliminate the shortcoming by the termination of the discharge controlled by the liquid flow. This type of apparatus has a serpentine conduit at the bottom of the tank forming air blocks in the upper curves for stopping the flow. The flow is initiated by releasing the entrapped blocking air to permit the siphoning flow of liquid through the turns.

These prior devices have been complicated in order to provide the delayed closing of the venting means.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A reservoir for holding liquid has a serpentine conduit at the bottom of the reservoir for controlling the discharge of liquid from the reservoir. The serpentine device is formed in loops or coils extending vertical to form air locks blocking the flow of liquid through the conduit, valve means being provided to vent the entrapped air in the loops or coils so that water can show through the conduit and empty the reservoir.

An object of the invention is to provide a siphoning type control for draining liquid from a tank that does not require any submerged valves and has a simple, inexpensive device for initiating the discarge of the liquid.

Another object of the invention is to provide an initiating device for a siphoning type drain control that has a delayed reestablishment of the conditions for blocking the flow of liquid. r

United States Patent 3,499,585 Patented Mar. 10, 1970 Other and further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front view of the drain control means with the reservoir tank shown in section.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of FIG. 1 taken along lines 2-2.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic views illustrating the drain control means with the tank full and with the tank empty, respectively.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the control valve.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of the inlet end of the pipe with a bafile.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The tank 10 has four sides 11, 12, 13 and 14 and a bottom 15 holding the liquid, such as water 16. The water may be supplied in a conventional manner through a pipe 7 extending through the bottom 15 and supported and sealed by collar means 18. At the upper end of the pipe 17 is a valve 19 controlled by the float 20. The float 20 closes the valve 19 when the liquid 16 reaches a given level A. The water 16 is discharged from the tank through the pipe 21 formed in four U-shaped sections or loops 21a, 21b, 21c, 21d. The inlet 21e of the pipe is at the bottom of the first loop 21a. The discharge pipe 22 extends through the bottom 15 and is sealed by the collar 23. The pipe 22 is connected to the end of the loop 21d.

As the water fills in the tank 10 is flows into the inlet 21c and fills the loop 21a to a level 24 forming a head B in relation to the inlet 21c. The tank continues to fill and the Water spills over the top of the inside of the loop 21a and fills up the loop 21b to a level 25 forming a head C in relation to the bottom level of the same column of water. Each loop is successively filled until the combined heads B, C, D and E equal the head F of the water level A above the inlet 21e. Air is entrapped in the spaces 30, 31, 32 of the loops 21a, 21b, 21c and is placed under pressure by the head F. The total pressure in these spaces is equal to the pressure of the liquid head F. Thus the flow through the pipe 21 is prevented.

If the float 20 does not close the valve 19 and water continues to enter the tank 10, the additional water will fl-ow through the pipe 21 spilling over at the levels 24, 25, 26 and 27 for discharge through the outlet 22. This, however, does not initiate a discharge of the water from the tank but merely maintains the liquid level A of the water 16 so that the tank does not overflow.

Pipe 35 is connected to the loops 21a, 21b and 210 at the top for communication with the air spaces 30, 31 32. The pipe 35 is connected to a valve 36 which vents the pipe 35 and the air spaces 30, 31 and 32 to atmosphere to permit the entrapped compressed air to escape. This equalizes the pressure on levels 24, 25 and 26 and the flow of water through the pipe is initiated. This flow continues until the Water 16 reaches the level G and the inlet 21a is brought into communication with atmosphere. The introduction of the atmosphere into the opening 21e interrupts the siphoning and the water stops flowing through the pipe 21. I,

The water in the pipe 21 assumes the water levels H, I, J in the U-portions 37, 38, 39 connecting the loops. The tank has a Water level G, as illustrated. The valve 36 is closed and the air spaces 30, 31 and 32 are again isolated from the atmosphere. Since the tank water level has dropped, the feed valve 19 opens and the tank 10 fills to level A.

As the liquid is drained through the pipe 21 a vortex is formed. At the low levels this vortex may communicate With the large opening 29 at the end of the inlet 21e and cause air to be sucked into the pipe 21. This slows the flow of Water through the pipe 21 causing the vortex to collapse and resubmerging the inlet 21e. The liquid is drawn into the pipe 21 with the vortex air. The flow of liquid through the pipe stops and the water drawn in with the air from the vortex partially fills the first loop 21a and reduces the air space 30. This prevents the reestablishment of the proper equalizing pressures in the loops. The inlet end 21e extends downwardly and has a small hole 28. On interruption of the discharge by a vortex the level of the liquid is below the hole 28. Air Will slowly enter through the hole 28 displacing the excess liquid so that the equalized conditions as previously described can be reestablished. The hole 28 is too small to interrupt the siphon so that the siphon is only interrupted by the entrance of air through the inlet 29. The hole is in the order of inch for a 1 /2 inch inside diameter pipe, and other size pipes would require different size holes.

The valve 36, as illustrated in FIG. 5, comprises an outer tubular casing 40 with a fitting 41 for fastening the valve to the pipe 35. The casing 40 forms with the pipe fitting 41 a chamber 42. A valve seat 43 receives the valve plug 44 reciprocally positioned in the chamber 42. The valve plug 44 has a surface 45 sealing against the valve seat 43 to form a circumferential seal therewith. On the other side of the valve seat from the chamber 42 is the chamber 47 communicating with a cylindrical opening 48 in the tubular casing 40. The unseating of the valve plug interconnects the chamber 42 and the chamber 47 to per mit the entrapped air in the spaces 30, 31 and 32 to escape through the pipe 35, chamber 42, chamber 47 and opening 48.

The seating of the valve plug 44 in the valve seat 43 again isolates the spaces 30, 31 and 32 from the atmosphere. The entrapped air then develops pressure to block the flow of Water. The return to the seated position is delayed by the dashpot 60. The dashpot 60 is formed by the casing 40, the tubular member 61, and the intermediate wall 62. A valve tem 63 extends from the valve plug 44 through the bore 64 in the tubular member 61. The rod 63 extends from the end of the member 61 and has a button 65. The tubular member 61 is concentric and spaced from the casing 40 to form a chamber 66. The rod 63 is slideably mounted in the tubular member 61. A tubular sleeve 67 extends from the button 65 into the chamber 66. A spring 68 fits between the end of the member 67 and the wall 62 to return the valve plug 44 to the seated position. In order to delay the return the chamber 66 is filled with oil and the casing 40 has an inwardly extending annular flange 69 with an oil seal surface 70 engaging the side of the member 67 to retain the oil within the chamber 66 as it moves inwardly and outwardly. The sleeve 67 at the spring end has a radially extending flange or piston head 71. The peripheral surface 71a is spaced from the walls of the casing 40 to provide an annular escape orifice 72. On depression of the button 65 the flange 71 is forced downward in the position shown in the drawings and the oil fills in the chamber 66 above the flange 71. The spring 68 is compressed. On release of the pressure on the button 65 the oil will slowly circulate back through the passage 72 and the plug 44 returned to the seated position.

The valve automatically remains open for a suflicient period of time to allow the entrapped air in the spaces 30, 31 and 32 to escape, and then automatically closes due to the spring 68.

The inwardly extending flange 69 closes the upper end of the chamber with the surface 70 against the sleeve 67. The exterior surface 69a is conically shaped so that any oil from the dashpot forced outwardly between the sleeve 67 and the flange 69 will tend to flow back into the chamber 66 or be returned by the downward movement of the sleeve 67 and the button 65. Oil which is carried by the sleeve 67 or escapes through the seal during the upward movement of the sleeve 67 and piston head 71 remains on the flange 69 and is carried back into the chamber 66 on the downward movement of the sleeve 67. The button 65 fits snugly in the casing 40 and has a slight clearance with the surface 69a to force the oil back into the chamber 66. The button 65 engages the end of the tubular member 61 to limit the downward movement.

Instead of oil in the chamber 66 other non-volatile fluids or gases may be used. If air is used as the fluid, the orifice 72 is smaller than when a liquid is used.

As illustrated in FIG. 6 baflle 74 may be provided at the inlet 21e. The baffle is spaced plates extending vertically and positioned perpendicular to the opening. The bafiling interrupts any vortex formed by the rapid drainage of the water through the conduit 21 or reduces the depth of vortex so that a premature entry of air into the conduit 21 is prevented and the lowest level G is reached by the water. The area of the intake may be broadened to counter the vortex effect. The baflle 47 may be used in place of the hole 28 or in combination with it.

A cover 76 may be provided on top of the tank 10. The valve 36 is supported on the side 11 of the tank by a bracket 78 to extend through an opening 79 in the cover.

Although the conduit is illustrated as helical coils, other configurations may be used that provide a conduit portion extending vertically to entrap air. A succession of U- shaped loops may be used. The number of conduit portions or loops depends upon the head of water to be developed and the size of the loops. The smaller the diameter of the loops, the more coils or loops will be required to sustain a given head of water.

Although the apparatus has been described in connection with an ordinary flush tank, it is evident that it may be used with any type of apparatus in which a liquid is to be stored in a tank and discharged therefrom.

Various modifications and changes may be made in the foregoing embodiment without departing from the inven tion.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for controlling the discharge of liquid from a reservoir comprising conduit means for passing liquid, said conduit means having vertically extending means for entrapping air and liquid to block discharge of liquid through said conduit means, a pipe connected to said vertically extending means to bleed entrapped air, valve means connected to said pipe at the opposite end and having a discharge means to atmosphere and valve plug and valve seating means between said discharge means and said pipe for isolating said pipe from said discharge means to entrap air in said vertically extending means and for connecting said discharge means with said pipe on unseating of said plug from said valve seating means with delay means slowing the return of said plug means to said valve seating means to permit bleeding over a period of time for initiating and maintaining flow of liquid through said conduit means and for discharging liquid from a reservor until the flow of liquid is interrupted by introduction of air into said conduit means.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein delay means are connected to said plug means to delay the seating of said plug means in said valve means to maintain the unseating of said plug means over a period of time.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said delay means comprises a cylinder containing a fluid and a piston head within said cylinder and forming an orifice therewith to pass the fluid from one portion of the cylinder to the other to gradually reseat said plug means on said valve seating means.

4. Apparatus for controlling the discharge of liquid from a reservoir comprising conduit means for passing liquid, said conduit means having vertical extending means for passing liquid on a discharge flow under siphon conditions and entrapping air on cessation of discharge flow to block discharge of liquid through said conduit means,

and having inlet means extending downwardly for introducing liquid into said conduit means, valve means connected to said vertical extending means to bleed entrapped air to initiate and maintain a discharge flow through said conduit means until the discharge fiow is interrupted and means non-interruptive of a siphon condition in said conduit means spaced above said inlet means for bleeding air into said conduit means when said inlet means is submerged after cessation of a discharge flow.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein said air bleeding means is a small orifice.

6. Apparatus for controlling the discharge of liquid from a reservoir comprising conduit means for passing liquid and inlet means for connecting said conduit means to a reservoir, said conduit means having vertically extending means for entrapping air and liquid to block discharge of liquid through said conduit means, a pipe connected to said vertically extending means to bleed entrapped air, valve means connected to said pipe at the opposite end to prevent bleeding of entrapped air and permit bleeding over a period of time to initiate and maintain flow of liquid through said conduit means for discharging liquid from a reservoir until the flow of liquid is interrupted by introduction of air into said conduit means, said conduit means having a passage of small diameter connecting said conduit means to atmosphere between said inlet means and said vertically extending means to slowly bleed air to said vertically extending means for providing the desired amount of entrapped air.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said passage is a hole in said conduit means spaced from said inlet means and said inlet means is positioned at a lower level than said hole so that the liquid level is below said hole on cessation of discharge.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 6 wherein said conduit means extends downwardly to position said inlet means at the lower level.

9. Apparatus for controlling the discharge of liquid from a reservoir comprising conduit means for passing liquid and having inlet means for connecting said conduit means to a reservoir, said conduit means having vertically extending means for entrapping air and liquid to block discharge of liquid through said conduit means, a pipe connected to said vertically extending means to bleed entrapped air, valve means connected to said pipe at the opposite end to prevent bleeding of entrapped air and permit bleeding over a period of time to initiate and maintain flow of liquid through said conduit means for discharge of liquid from a reservoir until the flow of liquid is interrupted by introduction of air into said conduit means, and baffle means at said inlet means and associated with all of said inlet means to interrupt a vortex at the inlet means so that the liquid level will drop adjacent to said inlet means for stopping the flow of liquid.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 210,965 12/1878 Rhoads 137133 753,174 2/1904 Smith 137-136 3,249,118 5/1966 Bochan 137136 FOREIGN PATENTS 76,060 11/ 1917 Switzerland.

ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner H. S. LANE, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 4-43; l37136 

